RULES FOR BOAT TRAILER PARKING DEFINITELY NEEDED
Editor:
As former long-time residents of Osoyoos we read with some interest Council's reaction to boat trailer parking in Osoyoos.
We, as did many other Osoyoos residents, have at many times had to cross centre lines of roads, streets and highways to get around wide boat trailers, especially in recent years, as boats and trailers get bigger and the numbers of visitors increase.
We always considered this not just an inconvenience, but more importantly a safety issue.
We find councillor Cronmiller's comment saying As a resort community I don't see how we can't have boat trailers parked along the side of the road more than a bit disturbing.
As a former member and in fact head of the Osoyoos RCMP detachment we would have thought Councillor Cronmiller's first commitment would be to the safety of locals and tourists, not just to draw tourists in and let them 'have their way' to enhance their summer enjoyment with no additional costs or inconvenience so they will return.
Having to crowd or enter centre lines to avoid boat trailers is a safety issue to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
This was one of our summer 'pet peeves as residents of the Town of Osoyoos, as it has been to most residents.
We have recently relocated to Kelowna and are pleased to report that we have in a few short months driven down virtually every main street and side street here and have never once had to 'side step' a boat trailer.
People here have to PAY to park their boat trailer in a safe place, or it's provided off-street by their accommodators, and that's the way it should be.
If you think the town of Osoyoos is too small to incorporate some actual rules, then you are being taken advantage of because in any other town or city, that would simply not be allowed “ resort community or not.
Public safety comes first.
Sally and Frank Stariha,rnKelowna
